Acting Digital Editor at Condé Nast Traveller, author of 'East London: an Opinionated Guide' by Hoxton Mini Press and general woman about town.

Getting older is one thing, but who wants the added bother of having to think up ideas for yet another birthday party? This year, don’t settle for a quiet dinner with friends or drinks at your local – do something different. Whether you want a special supper or a cultural adventure, here are 20 ways to make sure your next birthday is the most memorable yet.

There are only a few times a year when you can order an expensive bottle of Champagne without a second thought. A birthday is most definitely one of them – and there’s nowhere better to do it than Soho institution Bob Bob Ricard. This decadent English and Russian restaurant claims to pour more bottles of fizz than any other in London and each table is equipped with a Ring for Champagne bell to make it dangerously easy.

If you’re looking for an excuse to glam up, this Twenties prohibition party is the perfect occasion. Dig out your finest Flapper-esque glad rags and head to the secret candlelit location for a night of live jazz, cocktails, cabaret performances and plenty of dancing. Make it extra special by booking a table so you can rest your feet while you sip Champagne. There’s also the option to have dinner.

There’s a bucolic oasis located just a stone’s throw from Regent Street, if you know where to look. The Glade, a bar and dining room in eccentric hangout Sketch, is a lovely spot for a birthday breakfast, lunch or evening cocktails. The opulent interior, designed by artists Carolyn Quartermaine and Didier Mahieu, has découpage woodland wallpaper which sets off the velvet furnishings a treat. Don’t forget to look down to appreciate the spongey, grass-like carpet – an interactive sculpture by artist Alexandra Kehayoglou.

Why should you have to choose between lobster, oysters, brunch or a roast on your birthday? Book a table at The Ned on a Sunday afternoon for the legendary feast and you can have it all, and much more. The lavish marble counters of The Ned’s central bar are stacked high with all kinds of deliciousness every weekend and you can eat your way through it for £48 per person. Be sure to swing by the Bloody Mary corner and the Mimosa trolley to complete the festivities.

If you’d rather more of an Italian-style celebration, the lovely Cecconi’s Shoreditch also does an epic Sunday feast, which is a carb-lovers’ dream come true. From 12pm to 5.30pm, the Redchurch Street restaurant invites diners to go down to the kitchen to help themselves to endless plates of lasagne, pasta, pizza, salads, charcuterie, cheese and, of course, tiramisu – all for £25 per person.

The drinks served in the cosy, wood-panelled Punch Room, tucked away in the back of Fitzrovia’s fabulous Edition Hotel, are a far cry from the sickly fruit concoctions you may have made at house parties in your youth. Tables are reservation-only and there are 30 speciality punches, which can be served as individual drinks or shared by a group. As it’s open until 1am on Monday to Saturday, it’s a lovely spot for a birthday nightcap. For ultimate hygge vibes, ask for the table by the roaring open fire.

A delicious seafood dinner with a glass or two of chilled white wine is a wonderful way to spend your birthday, but what about if you add in the element of a cruise through the centre of town? London Shell Co does just that, taking diners on a gentle journey to enjoy the views along the Regent’s Canal from Paddington to Camden and back while they tuck into a five-course set menu of seasonal British seafood. Book a table for your best friends or splash out and hire the whole boat.

8. Tour Bermondsey’s breweries

Calling all craft beer fans: this is the birthday treat for you. Known for its cosy brewery bars and bottle shops, Bermondsey is the ideal spot for a classy beer crawl. Round up some beer-loving pals and spend a Saturday afternoon checking out the different artisan boozers. Although we recommend starting out at Maltby Street food market to stock up on tasty stomach-lining delights first.

There’s nowhere better for a truly special leafy birthday lunch than Petersham Nurseries Café. The elegant glasshouse in the chic Richmond garden centre is packed with verdant plants, fragrant flowers and beautiful antiques, making it an idyllic backdrop for a divine feast. Reserve one of the long tables and enjoy a lazy lunch of seasonal Italian-inspired food and cocktails infused with homegrown botanicals.

A traditional birthday meal is all well and good, but if you want to push the boat out and do something different, nab a spot at the next Gingerline supper club. Each of its secret immersive- dining experiences is totally unique, rather bonkers and brilliant fun. You won’t know where you’re going or what you’ll be eating until the day, but just be ready to be transported to a different universe where dressing up is mandatory and audience participation is encouraged. Be brave and book.

If gin is your tipple of choice, don’t let another birthday pass without embarking on the Gin Journey. You and your fellow mother’s ruin fans will be whisked around five London bars and distilleries to try five gin-based cocktails and five samples from different brands, as well as learning everything you need to know about the delicious juniper spirit. Be warned: you might need to book the next day off as these drinks are pretty damn strong.

12. Dine on a vintage train

You won’t find a more glamorous spot for a birthday feast than onboard the elegant Belmond British Pullman. Based at London Victoria station, the refurbished vintage train has gorgeous wood-panelled carriages full of Art Deco details that are the perfect setting for a memorable meal. Have a full day out by travelling to Brighton, Canterbury or Bath with lunch and bubbles en route or opt for afternoon tea or dinner as you cruise through the countryside.

Make sure your birthday celebrations are above par with a round of crazy golf for you and your friends. There are plenty of places to putt yourself silly in London right now: for a game with a side of street food and cocktails, try Swingers in the West End and the City; for an even crazier element go for Junkyard Golf on Brick Lane where there are slides, UV lights and jungle bathtubs; or for an impressive view, head to Birdies at Roof East, London’s only rooftop golf course, where you can also play a game of shuffleboard or try your hand at curling.

Bowling might previously have been associated with children’s parties, but a night on the lanes is now more than acceptable for a fun grown-up birthday bash. Make an evening of it at the lovely Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes and strike it lucky for a few games before moving into a karaoke booth or heading straight onto the dance floor where there are club nights until 3am most Friday and Saturdays.

15. Play ping pong

London got a severe case of ping pong fever a few years ago and it doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. For the ultimate game of wiff waff, head to Bounce, which has the best table tennis in town as well as great cocktails, food and, of course, beer pong – but a fancy digital version. It has also started doing bottomless brunch on Sundays where you get two hours of endless prosecco, pizza and ping pong to a soundtrack by Hoxton Radio DJs for £29.50. Although don’t blame us if your game isn’t as good after all that fizz.

Forget your average trip to the movies, instead, check out Backyard Cinema’s immersive venues for a cinematic birthday to remember. There’s currently a Los Angeles-themed summer beach bar in Camden where films are shown surrounded by palm trees, but safely under cover (we are in England, after all), or look out for special events such as screenings of Romeo + Juliet in the atmospheric Union Chapel, with a live choir and plenty of neon crosses.

To plan a birthday like no other, look at the upcoming schedule of King’s Cross bar Drink, Shop & Do. As the name suggests, there’s more than just boozing happening here: it hosts classes teaching everything from nipple-tassel making and Lego-robot building to neon life drawing and macramé plant hanger workshops. Some are useful, while others are just plain silly, but all are guaranteed fun.

For those who fancy themselves as the next Beyoncé or are just partial to belting out an off-key power ballad, Lucky Voice has it covered. Book a booth for up to 24 of your most tuneful friends and get two hours to work your way through the 9,000 songs in the epic catalogue. Each room has a well-needed ‘thirsty’ button to help with all those dry throats and all birthday bookings also get a round of free shots, so be sure to mention the B word.

Why not start your new year by learning a new skill? As well as hosting 12-week courses, boutique East London pottery studio Skandihus organises lovely one-off private parties where you and up to nine friends can spend a chilled couple of hours getting creative with clay by learning the basic techniques and building ceramic pieces to take home. They will look great on the mantlepiece – even if they are a bit wonky.

Swanning around the Royal Academy dressed in a ballgown with a cocktail in hand would be met with funny looks on most days. But at the epic RA Lates, you’d look out of place if you weren’t in full costume. Themed around the exhibition at the time, the whole gallery becomes one big party, full of workshops, talks, DJs, performances and pop-up bars. And yes, dressing up is very much encouraged.